Automatic car-coupling.



J. G. DUNCAN.

AUTOMATIU GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION nun MAR. 30, 1014.

1 1 1 9,254, Patented Dec. 1,1914.

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AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION rmm MAR. 30, 1914.

1, 1 1 9,254. Patented Dec. 1. 1914.

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JOHN G. DUNCAN. 0F BENTON, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed Dec. 1, 1914.

Application filed March 30, 1914. Serial No. 828,298.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. Dune-m, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton, in the county of Franklin and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car- (louplers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in car couplers and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for automatically coupling two cars when the same are brought into abutting relation to one another.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a construction which is such as will positively retain the cars in their coupled relation throughout the use of the device, until such time as manually released.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing an improved bumper or buffer construction for use in connection with the male section of the coupler.

A. still further object resides in providing a device which is simpleand durable in con struction, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will be very eilicient in use.

With these and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application; Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with my invention and applied to use, showing the section uncoupled; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device in its coupled position; Fig. l is a plan view thereof with parts broken away; Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section as seen on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a detail of the invention; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of bumper for use on this device; and Fig. 8 is a top plan view thereof.

In describing the invention I shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 and 2 indicate, respectively, cars which are designed to be coupled one to the other, sald cars employing, respectively, sections of my improved coupler. The car or truck 2 employs the female portion of the device, and in carrying out this idea, the draw bar 3, which is mounted on the top face of the floor of the car and extended longitudinally thereof, has the forward portion of the same provided with a longitudmal slot 4. On the top face of the floor of the car 2 over the slotted end of the draw bar 3 is a housing or casing 5, designed somewhat similar to the ordinary draw head in car couplers. The mouth portion 6 of this casing or substantially the draw head, has the outer face thereof beveled and said casing 5 is partially countersunk in the top face of the floor of said car 2.

As stated above, the casing or housing 5 is applied on the car 2 to extend over the forward or slotted end of the draw bar 3, the latter terminating at a point adjacent the mouth of said casing or housing. The forward portion of the housing or casing 5, on each side of the mouth 6 therein, is provided with a vertical channel 7 through which are loosely disposed the arms of an inverted U-shaped bar 8. The upper face of the housing or casing 5 is provided with a channel connecting the channels 7 wherein the base of this U-shaped member 8 may be received. Pivotally carried on the base which forms the upper portion of this U- shaped bar 8, is a connecting pin 9 which operates through a slot 10 in the upper portion of the housing or casing. The lower free end of this connecting pin 9 is received in the slot 4: of the draw bar 3 when the U-shaped bar is in its normal position, and the forward swinging movement of said connecting pin 9 is limited by its engagement with the front wall of the slot 10 of the casing and the forward wall of the slot 4 in the draw bar. Said connecting pin 9 may be swung rearwardly and upwardly to some distance and is only limited in such movement by the rear wall of the slot 10 in said housing or casing 5.

The arms of the U-shaped bar 8 extend completely through channels in the floor of the car 2 and depend to a plane a short distance therebclow. The free ends of said arms are bent angularly and are pivotally connected with the inner ends of a pair of fulcrumed levers 11, said levers being fulcrumed intermediate of their ends at points indicated as 12. The extreme outer end of the levers 11 project slightly beyond the side edges of the platform of the car 2 and form foot tripping means indicated as 13, and it will be seen from this construction, that by forcing downwardly on the ends 13 of the levers 11, the U bar 8 is elevated, thereby lifting the connecting pin 9. In elevating these portions of the device, the lower free end of the pin 9 is disposed to a plane above the plane of the upper edge of the mouth 6, thereby permitting an additional connecting member to be entered therethrough, as will be hereinafter and more particularly set forth.

The male portion of the device applied to the car 1 consists of an elongated housing or casing 14 which is applied to the top face of the floor or platform of said car over a por tion of the draw bar 15 thereon. That portion of the platform or floor of the car 1 over which'the casing or housing 1 1 extends, is slotted as shown at 16 for a purpose to be hereinafter and more particularly set forth.

Mounted in bearings 17 on the under face of the car 1 and extending transversely thereof, is a rock shaft 18. Mounted about centrally of this'shaft is a sleeve 19 having a pair of upwardly extending spaced apart arms 20 formed thereon. These arms 20 project upwardly through the slot 16 and an additional depending arm 21 is formed on the sleeve disposed in the opposite direction to the arms 20. Pivotally held between the upper ends of the spaced arms 20 is a link 22 and pivotally connected to the outer end of the link 22 is a main connecting link A vertical pin 2a is mounted in theend of the casing or housing 14 and projects through the slotted portion of the connecting link 28 to guide the latter in its movement.

The outer end portion of the slot 16 in the base or platform of the car 1 is enlarged and receives therein the main portion of a metal bumper 25. This bumper is held in place by means of a transversely extending bar 26 secured to the under face of the base or platform of the car, and the rear end of this bumper is provided with a depending and rearwardly inclined arm 27. This arm 27 is bifurcated at its outer end and has pivotal connection with a link 28 which also pivotally connects with the depending arm or projection 21 on the sleeve 19.

It will thus be seen that upon the actuation of the link 23, the bumper 25 willbe actuated or vice versa. This bumper is adapted to normally project beyond the end of the car, however, and in order to provide for this, weights 29 are provided on arms projecting rearwardlyfrom the ends of the rock shaft 18. In view of the fact that the bumper is normally thrust somewhat beyond the end of the car, it will'be seen that the link 23 will be drawn inwardly with respect to the housing or cover 14, and when the two cars are brought in abutting relation, the bumper being forced inwardly, will rock the shaft 18, thereby causing the link 23 to be extended and properly engaged with the connecting pin in the opposite section of the coupler.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown a slightly modified form of bumper. In'the form of bumper describedthe same is solid throughout its length and of considerable thickness. In this form, however, a'body 30 of platelike design is provided, the same tapering rearwardly as shown at 81 and'the outer end of the body is bent upwardly and angularly as shown at 82 to provide the engaging or abutting end of said bumper. The upper angular portion thereof is, however, provided with a space or offset indicated as 33 to accommodate the draw bar therethrough. The extreme inner end of this bumper is bent somewhat downwardly and bifurcated as indicated at 34, whereby-the same may be readily engaged with a link to connect the same with the operating portions of the device. This form of bumper may be readily substituted for "the form of bumper shown in connection with the first mentioned form ofcoupler. N p

In operation, assuming that the sections of the coupler areproperly applied to the respective cars, said cars are brought together to abut one anotherand the bumper 25 of the car 1 will contact with theend of the car 2. Such contact will, as explained above, cause the shaft 18 to be rocked and dispose the connecting'link 23 outwardly. The coupling portions of the device are disposed in the same longitudinal plane, so that this link, when so disposed outwardly with respect to its casing, will be received in the mouth 6 of the casin or housin 5 on the other car.

The disposition of the link 23 through the mouth will force the connecting pin 10 rearwardly and upwardly and in being so dis posed,'said pin is caused to engage the connecting link 28, so that the sections of the coupler will be automatically engaged one with the other. The cars are thencoupled and proceed in travel. WVhenit is desired to uncouple cars, it is only necessary for the operator to place his foot upon the one end 18 of the lever 11, thereby causing the member 8 with the connecting pin thereon to be ele vated. This disengages the connecting pin from the linkand will enable the car carrying the link to proceed without the car carrying the pin.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out theobjects of the invention, and while Ihave particularly described the elements best'adapted to perform'the functions set forth, it'is obvious that various changes in form, proportion, and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended elaims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a car coupler, a car bottom slotted at its end, a shaft extending transversely of said bottom and mounted for oscillation thereon, a crank arm carried on said shaft and projecting through said slot above said bottom, another crank arm carried by said shaft and extending below said bottom, a bumper mounted for sliding movement in said slot and having pivotal connection with the lower crank arm, a connecting link engaged with the upper crank arm and adapt ed to project beyond the end of the car bottom and means in connection with said shaft whereby to normally dispose said bumper to its extended position with respect to the car bottom.

2. In a car coupler, a car bottom pro vided with a longitudinal slot at the end thereof, a transverse shaft mounted for oscillation on the under face of said bottom, a crank arm provided centrally on said shaft and projecting through said slot to a point above said bottom, another crank arm carried by said shaft and extending below said bottom, a bumper mounted for sliding movement in the slotted end of said bottom and having a depending inner end portion thereon, means for pivotally connecting the last mentioned portion of the bumper with the lower crank arm, a connecting link having engagement with the upper crank arm above the top face of said bottom, said link being,

adapted to project beyond the end of said car bottom, and weighted means in connection with said shaft for normally oscillating the latter to a predetermined position whereby to dispose said bumper to its extended position with respect to the car bottom.

In a car coupler, a car bottom slotted at the end thereof, a shaft mounted for oscillation on the under face of said bottom and extending transversely of said slotted portion, crank arms carried centrally on said shaft and extending in opposite directions, the one crank arm extending upwardly through the slot in said car bottom to a plane above the top face of saidbottom, a bumper mounted for sliding movement in the outer slotted portion of the car bottom, the inner end of said bumper being disposed inwardly and downwardly, linking means between the other of said crank arms and the inner extremity of said bumper, a connecting link pivotally engaged with the upper extremity of the first mentioned crank arm and adapted to extend beyond the end of said car bottom, a housing mounted on the upper face of said car bottom and receiving said connecting link and the first mentioned crank arm therein, and weighted means in connection with said shaft to rock the same to a position for normally disposing said bumper in its extended position with respect to the car bottom.

4. In a car coupler, a car bottom slotted at the end thereof, a shaft mounted for oscillation on the under face of said bottom and extending transversely of the slot therein, a pair of crank arms carried on said shaft and extending in opposite directions, the one crank arm being extended through the slotted portion of the bottom and projected to a plane above the top face of said bottom, a bumper mounted in the outer slotted portion of the bottom and having a down 'ardly and rearwardly inclined projection on the inner end thereof, linking means between said projection and the other of said crank arms, a connecting link having pivotal connection with the upper extremity of the first mentioned crank arm and extending longitudinally of the car bottom to pronesses.

JOHN C. DUNCAN. Witnesses:

R. M. MEDILL, D. H. DEVONALD.

Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. U. 

